Applicator for Cosmetic Product and Associated Applicator Assembly

ABSTRACT

An applicator for cosmetic product in particular for mascara, having a core ( 12 ) extending in a main direction of longitudinal extension, referred to as the main axis (X). The core ( 12 ) is obtained by moulding. The applicator ( 10 ) has a depressed region ( 20 ) extending along the main axis (X), so as to form a reservoir ( 20 ) capable of containing the cosmetic product. The reservoir ( 20 ) extends angularly between two distinct edges ( 22, 22 ′) of width l and is configured to allow a majority portion of an eyelash to be level with, or even be immersed in said depressed region ( 20 ).

The invention relates to an applicator for cosmetic product and an associated applicator assembly.

There are known applicator assemblies for cosmetic product, including for cosmetic product intended to be applied to the eyelashes such as mascara, comprising a container containing the cosmetic product and an applicator adapted to be removably fixed to the container.

The container generally comprises a body, the body comprising walls delimiting a receptacle in which the cosmetic product is contained, and a neck defining an opening whereby the cosmetic product can be taken out.

The applicator assembly generally comprises a cap adapted to be fixed to the neck, a rod extending from the cap and an applicator fixed to a free end of the rod in order to load the eyelashes with cosmetic product and comb them.

When the cap is fixed to the neck, the rod and the applicator extend inside the receptacle. The applicator is immersed in the cosmetic product contained in the receptacle.

In order to use the applicator, the user detaches the cap from the neck and takes the applicator out of the container. When the applicator is taken out, it is wiped by a wiper arranged inside the receptacle, at the neck.

One aim of the present invention is to propose an applicator that allows optimised loading of the user's eyelashes with cosmetic product.

Thus, the invention relates to an applicator for cosmetic product, in particular for mascara, comprising a core extending in a main direction of longitudinal extension, referred to as the main axis, said core being obtained by moulding.

According to the invention said applicator comprises a depressed region extending along said main axis, so as to form a reservoir capable of containing the cosmetic product, said reservoir extending angularly between two distinct edges of width l which is designed to allow a majority portion of an eyelash to be level with said depressed region, or even to be immersed in said depressed region. This means that, for a given angular position of the applicator, a majority portion of an eyelash is in contact with the product contained in the depressed region, without the user needing to rotate the brush. Said width l is measured in a transverse plane between the two points of the edges cutting said plane.

The applicator of the invention is particularly advantageous because it comprises a reservoir which, when it contains cosmetic product, allows a large proportion of the eyelashes to be loaded continuously. This is because said reservoir is of a width that enables the eyelashes to be in contact with the product, as a single bloc.

Thus, the user of such an applicator will find it particularly advantageous to load a majority portion of her eyelashes with a single passage of the applicator without needing to reload the applicator in its container.

In other words, the applicator according to the invention is configured to promote the transfer of the cosmetic product, with which it can be loaded, onto the user's eyelashes.

According to different embodiments of the invention, which can be taken together or separately:

-   -   said width l complies with the following formula: l>3 mm, at at         least one point, or even throughout the length of said         reservoir;     -   the depressed region extends in a curve, in particular in a         helix;     -   the depressed region is blind;     -   the depressed region has a depth that changes progressively, in         particular a depth substantially equal to 1 mm at its maximum;     -   said applicator has an elongated shape comprising two large         opposed faces connected to one another laterally, in particular         by two edges, referred to as lateral edges;     -   the depressed region belongs to at least one of said two large         faces, referred to as a load face;     -   said load face has a width L measured in said orthogonal         direction, in particular between said two lateral edges;     -   said widths land L are connected by the following formula:         0.3≦l/L≦0.7     -   said widths land L are connected by the formula: l=0.5×L     -   said load face is substantially convex;     -   the applicator according to the invention comprises a plurality         of protrusions projecting from the core, on at least one angular         portion of its radial periphery;     -   the protrusions project from the depressed region;     -   the protrusions project continuously from the depressed region         and on at least a proportion of the remainder of the core;     -   the applicator comprises protrusions over a height H of its         radial periphery, said height H being measured along the main         axis;     -   the depressed region has a height h also measured along the main         axis;     -   said two heights H and h are connected by the following formula:

0.5<h/H≦0.9

-   -   said two heights H and h are connected by the formula: h=0.7×H     -   the plurality of protrusions is a plurality of ribs projecting         from the radial periphery of the core, transversely to the main         axis;     -   said ribs are axially distant;     -   the core is of plastic material;     -   said ribs are produced from the material of the core;     -   said ribs are moulded continuously in a single piece with the         core;     -   said ribs extend over the whole radial periphery of the core;     -   the core has a transverse section of a shape elongated in a         direction perpendicular to said main axis;     -   the transverse section of the core is an ellipse;     -   the core is solid;     -   the core is rigid;     -   the applicator forms a brush.

The invention also relates to an applicator assembly for cosmetic product, comprising a container comprising a body forming a receptacle intended to contain the cosmetic product, and an applicator, as described above, adapted to be fixed to the container, so that the applicator is accommodated inside the receptacle.

The invention will be better understood, and its other aims, details, features and advantages will become more clearly apparent in the detailed explanatory description that follows, of at least one embodiment of the invention given as a purely illustrative and non-restrictive example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view, slightly inclined, of an embodiment of an applicator according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a frontal view of the applicator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view from above of the applicator shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the applicator shown in the preceding drawings.

The invention relates to an applicator 10 for cosmetic product, in particular for mascara, comprising a core 12 extending in a main direction of longitudinal extension, referred to as the main axis and referenced X in FIGS. 2 to 4.

The core 12 is obtained by moulding, preferably of a plastic material, for example an LDPE-based (low-density polyethylene) material. Other materials can also be used, namely the material “EXACT” from ExxonMobil or the material “HYTREL” from Dupont, or a mixture of these materials.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the applicator 10 of the invention comprises a depressed region 20 extending along said main axis X. This depressed region forms a reservoir 20 that advantageously allows a not inconsiderable amount of cosmetic product to be loaded; for example when said applicator 10 is taken out of the receptacle, inside which it is arranged between two uses.

The core 12 of the applicator 10 according to the invention has a transverse section in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main axis X, referred to as the orthogonal direction, which is of elongated shape. A transverse section of the core 12 of elongated shape means a transverse section whose shape is longer than it is wide. The transverse section of the core 12 is thus, for example, oval in shape, without necessarily being an actual ellipse. However, said transverse section is advantageously elliptical, or similar to an ellipse that has a large radius included in the range between 3 mm and 5 mm and a small radius included in the range between 1 mm and 3 mm. In particular, said ellipse has a large radius substantially equal to 3.5 mm and a small radius substantially equal to 2 mm, at at least one point on the main axis X.

Preferably, notwithstanding the presence of the depressed region 20, the type of shape and/or the angular orientation of said transverse section of the core 12 is substantially constant, from its proximal end 13 to its distal end 16. This means that, although the transverse section of the core 12 can have an area of variable dimension along the length of the core 12, it retains the same type of contour and/or the same angular orientation.

Consequently, as shown in FIG. 3, the applicator 10 of the invention also has an elongated shape. In other words, said applicator 10 comprises two large opposed faces F1, F2 connected to one another by two lateral edges L1, L2. FIGS. 1 and 2 advantageously show one of said large faces F1, F2, while FIG. 4 shows both.

FIG. 4 makes it possible, in particular, to show the presence of a reservoir 20, 20′ on each of the large faces F1, F2 that the applicator 10 of the invention comprises. In the text that follows, said large faces F1, F2 will be referred to as load faces F1, F2. It should be noted that each of the load faces F1, F2 has a width L. This width L is measured in said orthogonal direction, in particular between said two lateral edges L1, L2 which can be, as here, the edges of the envelope defined by the applicator. Said width L is thus included in the range between 6 mm and 10 mm, and in particular is substantially equal to 7 mm.

Furthermore, as can be seen particularly in FIG. 2, the reservoir 20 extends angularly between two distinct edges 22, 22′ of a width l, measured in a transverse plane between the two points of said edges cut by the plane. Said width l complies with the following formula: l≦3 mm, at at least one point, or even along the entire length of said reservoir 20. For example, said width l will be substantially equal to 3.5 mm.

This means, in relation to the width L defined above, that a relationship can be established between said widths 1 and L, in particular through the following formula: 0.3≦l/L≦0.7. Advantageously, said widths l and L will be connected by the formula: L=0.5×L. The reservoir 20 can thus be described as a broad reservoir relative to the dimensions of the applicator 10 of the invention.

Thus, the applicator 10 of the invention makes it possible, during use thereof, for the user's eyelashes to be level with, or even to be immersed in, the broad reservoir 20 and thus for them to be loaded over a major proportion of their length, without any need to pass the applicator 10 over the eyelashes several times consecutively, because the eyelashes are properly loaded after the first passage of said applicator 10.

The reservoir 20 can extend in a curve 24 (see FIG. 1), which has the advantage of promoting the transfer of the cosmetic product onto the user's eyelashes. This is because said form of a curve 24 gives the reservoir 20 the shape of a helical groove, said shape helping to cause the eyelashes to dip into said reservoir 20. In other words, the curve 24 in which the reservoir extends does not follow the longitudinal axis of the core. It is, for example, a curve substantially helical in shape.

It should be noted that the reservoir 20 is blind. In addition, its depth changes along the main axis X. Said depth can, for example, be substantially equal to 1 mm, in particular at its maximum depth. It will be recalled that the small diameter of the ellipsoid shape of the transverse section of the core 12 is included in the range between 2 mm and 6 mm; for example, substantially equal to 4 mm. This means that the reservoir 20, at least at its maximum, has a substantial depth relative to the transverse dimensions of the core 12. For this reason, said reservoir 20 can be loaded with a not inconsiderable amount of cosmetic product.

It should be further noted that the load faces F1, F2 are substantially convex, in particular in the embodiment illustrated here. Alternatively, said faces F1, F2 are planar, without this departing from the scope of the invention (embodiment not shown). This is because the applicator 10 of the invention can have load faces F1, F2 and lateral faces L1, L2 connecting them, said load faces F1, F2 being planar, convex or concave, without this departing from the scope of the invention, as long as at least one of the load faces F1, F2 comprises a reservoir 20 as described here.

The applicator 10 of the invention also comprises, here, a plurality of protrusions. These protrusions are, preferably, ribs 30 projecting from the radial periphery of the core 12, transversely to the main axis X, in particular on an angular portion of said radial periphery. Advantageously, said ribs 30 have a radial extension, that is, a height measured in the direction orthogonal to the main axis X, between the radial periphery of the core 12 and the periphery of said ribs 30, which is included in the range between 0.1 mm and 0.7 mm, or even substantially equal to 0.3 mm.

Furthermore, said ribs 30 are preferably axially distant. This means that they are distant from one another, along the main axis X, here by a distance P included in the range between 0.3 mm and 1.8 mm (see FIG. 4). Said distance P is, for example, substantially equal to 0.6 mm. In other words, said ribs 30 form grooves between one another, said grooves being shallow relative to a cosmetic applicator. Such a feature has the advantage of further improving the loading of the eyelashes because it facilitates good access by the eyelashes to the product contained in the grooves. With deeper grooves, the product at the bottom of the grooves is more difficult to reach.

Advantageously, said ribs and/or said grooves are present at the depressed region or regions.

Preferably, the height and width dimensions of said ribs and/or said grooves is constant over their entire angular extent, this being so even in the portion or portions provided with a depressed region.

The embodiment illustrated here shows ribs 30 that extend over the entire radial periphery of the core 12 (see FIG. 1). In addition, FIG. 4 illustrates the fact that said ribs 30 also project from the reservoir 20, 20′ of each of the load faces F1, F2. Thus, the applicator 10 has the advantage of guiding the user's eyelashes while also loading them with cosmetic product, whether this is at the lateral edges L1, L2 of the applicator 10, the load faces F1, F2 and/or the reservoir or reservoirs 20, 20′.

Said ribs 30 are advantageously produced from the material of the core 12 in order to facilitate the manufacture thereof.

Alternatively, the protrusions 30 are teeth, or even plates, also produced from the material of the core 12 (embodiments not shown).

Furthermore, as can be seen particularly in FIG. 2, the applicator 10 of the invention comprises ribs 30 over a height H of its radial periphery, while the reservoir 20 extends over a height h, said heights H and h being measured along the main axis X. These two heights H and h are connected by the following formula: 0.5≦h/H≦0.9, and, preferably, by the formula: h=0.7×H. As an example, the height H can be substantially equal to 25 mm, while the height h will be substantially equal to 18 mm.

It should be noted that the elongated shape of the section of the core 12 advantageously has a direction of elongation that is substantially the same direction as the direction of elongation of the elongated shape of the transverse section of the applicator 10. Giving substantially the same direction of elongation to the core 12 and to the applicator 10 makes it possible to have ribs 30 whose stiffness is even better controlled.

In addition, this makes it possible, by a simple inclination of the applicator 10 of the invention about its main axis X, to move said applicator 10 towards the roots of the user's eyelashes.

Thus, the applicator 10, through the use of a long portion of its elongated shape (the load faces F1, F2), allows the eyelashes to be guided between the ribs 30 and to be loaded with cosmetic product by bathing in at least one reservoir 20, 20′ and, furthermore, through the use of a thinner portion of said elongated shape (the lateral faces L1, L2), allows access to the roots of said eyelashes.

It will be recalled that the invention also relates to an applicator assembly for cosmetic product, comprising a container (not shown) comprising a body forming a receptacle containing the cosmetic product, and an applicator 10 as previously described, adapted to be fixed to the container, so that the applicator is accommodated inside the receptacle. Said applicator 10 is fixed, for example, to the end of a rod (not shown), the rod itself being fixed to a cap (not shown) advantageously screwed to the container. The core 12 has, in addition, a first end, referred to as the proximal end 13, and a second end, referred to as the distal end 16, opposite the proximal end 13 along the main axis X.

The proximal end 13 of the core 12 can be fixed to the rod of the applicator 10 by a sleeve 14 extending said core 12. After fitting, the sleeve 14 is situated in the rod and the proximal end 13 of the core forms the visible proximal end of the applicator. Said sleeve 14 does not have ribs.

Furthermore, the ribs 30 form an envelope E, already mentioned, in particular an envelope defined by their periphery (see FIG. 2). In addition, at the lateral edges L1, L2 of the applicator 10, said envelope E has at least one convex shape, in particular between said proximal 13 and distal 16 extremities, and preferably an oval shape. This has the advantage of facilitating the passage across the wiper, both when the applicator 10 is taken out of the reservoir, and also when it is reinserted in the container, in particular after use.

In addition, the core 12 of the applicator will advantageously be rigid. This means that a mechanical stress exerted by the user's fingers on said core 12 will not result in the deformation of said core. In other words, the core 12 is not configured to bend, neither about nor along the main axis X, in particular when the user exerts a reasonable force above, for example using her fingers.

It should further be noted that the applicator 10 here has a protuberance 18 of material at its distal end 16, which can be seen particularly in FIG. 1. This protuberance 18 of material allows the user's nose to be protected when the distal end 16 of said applicator comes into contact with it. This protuberance 18 of material also makes it possible to limit the unwanted deposition of cosmetic product at the end of the applicator when the applicator is taken out of the container that accommodates it.

It should also be noted that the applicator forms a brush, advantageously a mascara brush.

It should be noted that variants are of course possible. In particular, in an additional embodiment (not shown), the ribs 30 extend only over an angular portion of the radial periphery of the core 12. This means that it is possible to provide, on the remaining angular portion, protuberances projecting from the core 12. For example, it is then possible to provide, on an angular portion of the radial periphery of the core 12, protuberances that are shaped as teeth, or plates, of the same material as the core 12. It is also possible to provide protuberances in the form of fibres attached to the core 12. The associated advantage lies mainly in the possibility of producing make-up effects supplementary and/or complementary to those presented above. 

1. Applicator for cosmetic product, in particular for mascara, comprising a core extending in a main direction of longitudinal extension, referred to as the main axis (X), said core being obtained by moulding, characterised in that said applicator comprises a depressed region (20) extending along said main axis (X), so as to form a reservoir capable of containing the cosmetic product, said reservoir extending angularly between two distinct edges of width l and being configured to allow a majority portion of an eyelash to be level with said depressed region.
 2. Applicator according to the preceding claim, wherein said width l complies with the following formula: l≧3 mm.
 3. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the depressed region extends in a curve (24).
 4. Applicator according claim 1, wherein the depressed region is blind.
 5. Applicator according to claim 1, having an elongated shape comprising two large opposed faces (F1, F2) connected to one another laterally by two edges (L1, L2), the depressed region belonging to at least one of the two large faces (F1, F2), referred to as a load face, said load face (F1, F2) having a width L, said widths l and L being connected by the following formula: 0.3≦l/L≦0.7
 6. Applicator according to claim 5, wherein said load face (F1, F2) is substantially convex.
 7. Applicator according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of protrusions projecting from the core, on at least one angular portion of its radial periphery.
 8. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions project from the depressed region.
 9. Applicator according to claim 7, wherein the protrusions project continuously from the depressed region and on at least a proportion of the remainder of the core.
 10. Applicator according to claim 7, comprising protrusions, over a height H of its radial periphery, said height H being measured along the main axis (X), and the depressed region having a height h also measured along the main axis (X), said two heights H and h being connected by the following formula: 0.5≦h/H≦0.9
 11. Applicator according claim 7, wherein the plurality of protrusions is a plurality of ribs projecting from the radial periphery of the core, transversely to the main axis (X).
 12. Applicator according to claim 11, wherein said ribs are axially distant.
 13. Applicator according to claim 11, wherein said ribs are produced from the material of the core.
 14. Applicator assembly for cosmetic product, comprising: a container comprising a body forming a receptacle intended to contain the cosmetic product, and an applicator according to claim 1 adapted to be fixed to the container, so that the applicator accommodated inside the receptacle. 